LAB SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO: 03
EEE 224
STAMFORD UNIVERSITY OF BANGLADESH
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
COURSE NO: EEE224, COURSE TITLE: ELECTRONIC LAB
Experiment No: 03
Name of the Experiment: Study of clipper, clamper and limiter circuit.
1. OBJECTIVE
To study the application of diodes in different clipper, clamper and limiter circuits.
2. REQUIRED EQUIPMENTS
Diode
Zener diode
Resistor
Capacitor
Signal generator
Oscilloscope
Chords and wire
1N4003
5V
10K
10µF
four pieces
two pieces
one piece
one piece
one piece
one piece
As necessary
3. THEORY
a. Clipper
Clipper circuits have the ability to “clip” off a portion of the input signal without distorting
the remaining part of the alternating waveform. The half wave rectifier of the previous
experiment is an example of the simplest from of diode clipper. Depending on the orientation
of thy diode, the positive or negative region of the input signal is “clipped” off. There are two
general categories of clippers: series and parallel. The series configuration is defined as one
where the diode is in series with the load, while the parallel variety has the diode in branch
parallel to the load.
The simple clipper circuit diagram and its input and output wave shapes are shown Figure 1.
+
Vi
+
R
(a) Circuit diagram
Vo
V
V
Vo
-V
-V
(b) Input voltage
Figure 1: Simple clipper circuit
t
t
-
-
Vi
Page 1 (c) Output voltage
LAB SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO: 03
EEE 224
b. Clamper
The clamper circuit is one that will “clamp” a signal to a different dc level. The network must
have a capacitor, a diode and a resistive element, but it can also employ an independent dc
supply to introduce an additional shift. The magnitude of R and C must be chosen so that the
voltage across the capacitor does not discharge significantly during the interval the interval
the diode is non-conducting. There is an important point to note that, the total swing of the
output is equal to the total swing of input signal.
The simple clamper circuit diagram and its input and output wave shapes are shown Figure 2.
Vi
C
+
R
Vi
-
+
V
Vo
0
-
-V
(a) Circuit diagram
Vo
V
T /2
t
T
0
T /2
t
T
-V
(c) Output voltage
(b) Input voltage
Figure 2: Simple clamper circuit
c. Limiter
The operation of a limiter circuit is almost same that of a clipper circuit. The difference
between these two circuits (limiter and clipper) is that, the clipper “clips” off a portion of
input signal whereas the limiter sets a “limit” in amplitude of an input signal. A simple
clipper circuit in the Figure 1 is said to be as a limiter circuit in this sense that, it limits the
input signal in the range of 0V to positive peak input voltage.
The input and output voltage of a limiter circuit can be visualized in Figure 3.
Vi
Vo
t
0
Limiter
Circuit
(a) Input voltage
t
0
(b) Output voltage
Figure 3: Input and output voltage of a limiter circuit
Page 2 LAB SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO: 03
4. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM FOR EXPERIMENT
Figure 4: Clipper circuit
Figure 5: Clamper circuit
Figure 6: Limiter circuit using zener diode
Page 3 EEE 224
LAB SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO: 03
EEE 224
5. PROCEDURE
A. Construct the circuit as shown in Figure 4. Observe the input and output wave
shapes.
B. Construct the circuit as shown in Figure 5. Observe the input and output wave
shapes.
C. Construct the circuit as shown in Figure 6. Observe the input and output wave
shapes.
6. REPORT
A. Draw the input and output wave shapes observed in a clipper circuit.
B. What will affect the 5V DC source if it is connected in reverse that of shown in
Figure 4. Explain the operation of the circuit in that case and draw the ideal output
wave shape.
C. Draw the input and output wave shapes observed in a clamper circuit and describe
its operation.
D. Draw the input and output wave shapes observed in a clamper circuit.
E. Design a circuit in which the input voltage Vi =5 sin ωt and the output should be
limited between + 2.5 V and – 3.5 V. Assume that the diodes are ideal.
Prepared by,
KURRATUL AIN
Lecturer, Deptt. Of EEE, Stamford University Bangladesh
Date: 06.02.10
Acknowledgement,
SHIHANUR RAHMAN AND AHSAN HABIB
Lecturer, Deptt. Of EEE, Stamford University Bangladesh
Page 4